title: Positive predictive value of prenatal ultrasonography confirmed by post-mortem investigations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the positive predictive value of ultrasonography based on the results of post-mortem investigations in respect of the most common malformations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We processed the details of 683 cases affecting the nervous, cardiovascular, urinary and skeletal systems, and the abdominal/thoracic walls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In four of the investigated groups of malformations, the proportion of sonographic diagnoses completely coinciding with the post mortem results was found to be approximately 70%, but it was found to be much lower (32%) in urinary malformations. The cumulative proportion of coinciding sonographic and post mortem diagnoses was 63%, while completely incorrect ultrasonographic diagnoses amounted to 17%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sonography is an essential method for the diagnosis of the majority of fetal malformations, but post-mortem examinations yield an indispensable quality control as well as additional information to ultrasound examinations.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Hungary. joogabor@hotmail.com
authors.forename: József Gábor
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Joó
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Csatlós
authors.forename: Akos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Csaba
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rigó
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data